Rainforests are the strongholds of our planet, but many are on the verge of collapse. Learn more about their health and future.
You might not think about RAINFORESTS every day, but there are many mind-blowing reasons why you should. Like, did you know rainforests have their very own self-watering system? Or that the Amazon rainforest is half the size of the United States?
These facts are cool, but with the pressures of deforestation and climate change mounting, there are even more reasons to not just think but to take action to save these vital ecosystems.
How healthy are our rainforests?
Our rainforests are struggling, with many facing dangerous tipping points:
- Half of the Amazon rainforest could become grasslands or unstable ecosystems within decades due to climate change, deforestation, and severe droughts.
- The second-largest rainforest in the world, the Congo rainforest, home to critically endangered gorillas, elephants, and more than 2 million Indigenous people continues to shrink at a rapid pace. More than a quarter may be lost by 2050.
- South East Asia’s rainforests are being carved out and cut down. Thousands of miles of “ghost” or unmapped and unregulated roads have been illegally created by miners, loggers, poachers, and traffickers.
- 137 species of plants and animals go extinct every day in tropical forests.
A surprising ability to bounce back
Studies show most tropical rainforests can regrow in just 20 years, offering hope for endangered species and climate recovery. Natural regeneration, unlike large-scale tree plantations, is better for biodiversity, healthy habitats, and mitigating climate change; young rainforests can soak up more amounts of carbon than old-growth forests.
But that is only if we don’t interfere. The more we clear and take from these rainforests, the weaker they become. Supporting conservation and advocacy organizations is essential to ensuring the planet’s health and our own.
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